Harmony and Dissidence,
Jackson United
I'll be honest, I thought the last Jackson United album was a huge, huge disappointment. For a band which is really a supergroup, it was really, really bland and dull. This new record, out on Deck Cheese, is much, much better. Featuring the Shiflett brothers and, on the recording anyway, messrs Hawkins and Grohl on the drums, this record has elements of Face To Face within it, but comes across more like The Replacements than the Foo Fighters. It's less rock and more punk, as referenced by the likes of 'Undertow' which has a slightly reggae-like pace to it.
Truth be told over 14 songs this is a little long and cumbersome and had this been 10 tracks I think I;d have enjoyed it that bit more. The songs are often catchy and melodic but Chris Shiflett's vocals don't tend to stand out as many other vocalists out there. That said, when the band are good they are great and the likes of 'White Flag Burning' are anthemic, call-to-arms songs that will have you singing along in no time. I just wonder whether they would attract the same attention if the Shifflet's weren't in rather more famous bands?
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